Intrinsically adapting variable generators and motors

Abstract

A dynamoelectric machine including an inner cylindrical stator, an outer cylindrical stator, and a cylindrical rotor positioned radially between the inner cylindrical stator and the outer cylindrical stator, the cylindrical rotor being rotatable with respect to the inner and outer cylindrical stators. The cylindrical rotor includes at least one rotating conductor which includes a mixture of an electrically conducting material and a ferromagnetic material. The inner and outer cylindrical stators include at least one of (i) gradient magnetic field strength areas that vary in flux density longitudinally down along an axial direction of the dynamoelectric machine, (ii) different radial diameters of overlapping rotor and stator portions provided at different axial positions of the dynamoelectric machine, and (iii) electromagnets which are structured to be selectively energized based on a changing variable.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A dynamoelectric machine comprising:
 a first stator; 
 a second stator; and 
 a rotor positioned between the first stator and the second stator, the rotor being rotatable with respect to the first and second stators; wherein 
 the rotor includes at least one rotating conductor which includes an electrically conducting material; and 
 the first and second stators include at least one of:
 (i) gradient magnetic field strength areas that vary in flux density longitudinally down along an axial direction of the dynamoelectric machine; 
 (ii) different radial diameters of overlapping rotor and stator portions provided at different axial positions of the dynamoelectric machine; and 
 (iii) electromagnets which are structured to be selectively energized based on a changing variable. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second stators includes hybrid magnets that include electromagnetic components and permanent magnet components. 
     
     
       3. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 2 , wherein magnitudes of the gradient magnetic field strength areas that vary in flux density are adjustable by changing an amount of current flowing through the electromagnetic components of at least one of the hybrid magnets of the first and/or second stators. 
     
     
       4. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the gradient magnetic field strength areas that vary in flux density are produced by varying radial distances between opposing portions of the first and second stators. 
 
     
     
       5. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the different diameters of overlapping rotor and stator portions provided at different axial positions of the dynamoelectric machine include:
 a first diameter corresponding to the first stator and the second stator at a lower portion of the dynamoelectric machine in the axial direction of the dynamoelectric machine; and 
 a second diameter corresponding to the first stator and the second stator at an upper portion of the dynamoelectric machine in the axial direction of the dynamoelectric machine; and 
 
 the first diameter is greater than the second diameter. 
 
     
     
       6. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the electrically conducting material of the rotor includes a main copper component, and is embedded with or contacts a magnetically permeable material which includes magnetically permeable particles, fillings, strips, inclusions, or filaments. 
 
     
     
       7. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the gradient magnetic field strength areas that vary in flux density are produced by arranging varying strengths of circumferentially uniform magnets along the axial direction of the dynamoelectric machine. 
     
     
       8. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a central stator located radially between the first stator and the second stator; wherein 
 the rotor includes first and second concentrically arranged rotor conductor portions between the first stator and the central stator and between the central stator and the second stator. 
 
     
     
       9. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the central stator, the first stator, and the second rotor conductor portion have a greater total longitudinal length along the axial direction of the dynamoelectric machine than the second stator and the first rotor conductor portion. 
 
     
     
       10. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor includes longitudinally extending conductor bars which include copper. 
     
     
       11. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor includes laminated copper and magnetically permeable layers alternatingly arranged with one another in a radial direction of the dynamoelectric machine. 
     
     
       12. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 11 , wherein a radially innermost layer and a radially outermost layer of the rotor are defined by copper layers. 
     
     
       13. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the magnetically permeable particles, fillings, strips, inclusions, or filaments are uniformly or substantially uniformly spaced throughout the copper structure and aligned radially. 
     
     
       14. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 6 , wherein magnetically permeable particles, fillings, strips, inclusions, or filaments include at least one of mu metals, iron, permalloy, silicon steel, or supermalloy. 
     
     
       15. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 12 , wherein a thin film silver layer is provided on external surfaces of the rotor. 
     
     
       16. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the gradient magnetic field strength areas have uniform levels of magnetic flux in both radial and circumferential directions without salient poles. 
     
     
       17. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first stator includes a pair or more of inner stators opposed to one another in the axial direction; 
 the second stator includes a pair or more of outer stators opposed to one another in the axial direction; and 
 the rotor includes a pair or more of rotors opposed to one another in the axial direction. 
 
     
     
       18. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the pair or more of rotors are rotatingly connected to one another through a common rotor shaft axially between the pair or more of rotors. 
     
     
       19. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 electrical collection circuitry including input leads and output leads; wherein 
 the common rotor shaft includes a non-conductive insulating shaft insert; and 
 at least some of the input leads are connected to portions of the common rotor shaft on opposing sides of the non-conductive insulating shaft insert. 
 
     
     
       20. The dynamoelectric machine according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of the rotor, the first stator, or the second stator includes multiple frustrum segments which have radially inner or outer surfaces which gradually change in distance from a central axis of the dynamoelectric machine as the radially inner or outer surfaces extend axially along the central axis of the dynamoelectric machine.